FAITH JENKINS TO ROME FOR LOVE WITH DIANN VALENTINE
How this savvy JUDGE is bringing FAITH into the courtroom
How to transition your home from
HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE
2018 WOMEN’S MARCH
Tips for Building Your Entrepreneurial Dream Team This time last year, I was exploring the idea of launching a new company. I knew what I wanted todo and had written out a business plan, but I knew that the most important element of making mybusiness successful was collaboration. Collaboration can open your company to different markets, reduce costs, and drive innovation. Along the same vein, I knew the true potential of mycompany would not manifest until I chose myteam. I tried to follow some important advice I received from other entrepreneurs: “Be very selective about business partnerships because legally, they are more intimate than marriage. There are many friendships that have been ruined over money and business disputes.” When selecting my
entrepreneurial dream team, I considered several factors that were important to my core values: integrity, loyalty, creativity, passion for altruism, humility, and willingness to compromise. Each business partner should complement your strengths and fill the gaps where you are not as strong. Over the years, I have worked with some amazing women whohave uplifted me and supported the vision that Community Expert Solutions has for transforming the way we solve health problems. For example, my business partners Alexandria Anderson and Kimberly Knight exemplify the essence of powerful, creative women who are truly passionate about helping the community while building a successful company brand. But more importantly, they bridge the gaps between my skillset and weaknesses. Alexandria Anderson is a native of Durham, NC, mother, a public health case manager, and professional photographer. Her creativity helps transcend my research-informed ideas into accessible and tangible projects that are relevant toour clients. Kimberly Knight is a native of Wilson, NC, a professional writer, and public relations specialist who can easily identify ways to, build and monetize the company’s brand. Additionally, our only male team member, Marcus Hawley, isa native of Durham, NC, clothier, and researcher with experience in digital health app development. He connects us to business development resources and helps articulate how the aesthetic of our product, Digital LinCS, can be appealing to the end user. I have worked with each of these team members on several projects prior to launching the company and am very familiar with their communication and work styles. Here are 10 tips that will help identify and work well with business partners and collaborators: 1. Guide all collaborations by YOUR core values 2. Interview potential collaborators and business partners to better understand how your mission and business practices align 3. Come to a mutual agreement about expectations and desired outcomes upfront 4. Check-in regularly to ensure everyone ison the same page and continuously working towards the same goal 5. Choose people who can accomplish things you CAN NOT do alone 6. Ensure your team has diversity-this means in experiences and thoughts 7. Discuss how the project will end. What’s your “exit” strategy? 8. Create a living document of“good practices” that guide the working relationships 9. Discuss how your social status and identity as women informs the growth of your business 10. Discuss your boundaries for making and spending money These tips may not be the magic tips or golden rules, but they have absolutely helped to guide meto where I am today!
AUTHORS WHO INSPIRE...
and obvious tool in a woman’s professional arsenal. Sabrina: Please tell us about your childhood and academic background. Eboni: I was born right outside Baton Rouge, Louisiana in a small country town, but moved to Charlotte by five years old. My mom was smart enough to recognize that the opportunities at that time for a black girl down there were going to be a little limited andshe wanted to make sure that I had the best educational opportunity. Only she wanted the best employment opportunities and Charlotte was an emerging southern city. My mother was aggressive in making sure that I was enrolled in the performing and visual arts magnet programs. There was typically a lottery system with these programs and one is enrolled by a “number”. I didn't originally get in based on the lottery, but because my mother is so determined developed a portfolio for me, took it to the Charlotte Mecklenburg School board and presented it to them. Ultimately, she appealed the rejection and they listened! The portfolio made way for my schooling grades 6-12 and I was later blessed with a full academic scholarship to Chapel Hill. Sabrina: Loyola University, New Orleans College of law, and then from there you started your professional career in New Orleans, right?
Attorney, author, and a future host of a Fox Newsshow, Eboni K Willams is a force to be reckoned with. Ms. Williams’ experiences over the years have developed her perspective, allowed many opportunities for lessons learned, and strengthened her personal commitment to informing the public with the facts plainly stated, but her opinion never acknowledged. Williams received her BA in Communications and AfricanAmerican Studies from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a J.D. from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Eboni Williams wrote Pretty Powerful, which explores how others have learned to balance their “prettiness” with substance. The goal is to both look the part and express intelligence in a way that is authentic and respected. While opinions may have differed through time, one fact remains: a “pretty” brand is perhaps the most immediate
Eboni: That’s correct. I was in law school—Hurricane Katrina happened during my second year there. That’s really where my career started because during the summers I was working at the attorney general’s office for city hall. It was a great experience because I really got to see politics up close. New Orleans is different now, but even then, it was one of those cities where the black community maintains a very powerful political voice. I think that was something different for me to see and I will attribute my success to seeing the potential to demonstrate leadership in the political space. I had a lot of mentors that I met in New Orleans that
were able to show me how things get done politically. Anyway, I graduated from Loyola, moved to Charlotte, and worked at a big firm for a year, but I wasn’t thrilled about that. I think I thought I was making an impact. Yes, I was the only black attorney at the firm. I believe I was the first black woman they’d ever hired as a lawyer. They had a black man years ago who’d come and gone. The other black women at the firm were Administrative Assistants-I don't even think they were paralegals, more like legal secretaries. In theory, that was seen as an accomplishment by a lot of people in the Charlotte community. Like, "Wow, she's a black lawyer at James, McElroy, and Diehl", but I learned very long ago that that ‘accomplishment’ wasn't enough. Being there and being able to have an impact was what I really needed and unfortunately, I didn't feel like I was able to grow at the firm. I ended up leaving and going to the Public Defender's office in Charlotte and that's where I really thought I'd be able to have an impact as an attorney. I'm very, very blessed to have had that introduction to the law and start trying cases at 23. Whether people are guilty or innocent is beside the point, the point is, the system needs people on all sides. You need prosecutors and you need defense lawyers. Being able to be that defense lawyer for countless individuals who needed representation and somebody to protect their rights, was a very thrilling thing to me because most of these people were indigent, didn't have any money, and didn't have a background that anybody historically listened to. It would really shock you to see what some of the conversations really look like. That's when I got clear about the importance of advocacy and the importance of somebody listening to your story. Somebody with credibility being able to convey your story on your behalf is so impactful— that's what I learned at the Public Defender's office when I started practicing at 23. Then eventually when I went into media, it was that same lesson of being able to credibly convey someone else's story on their behalf. Sabrina: What were some of the steps that you took in order to get you to that position in your career? Eboni: First off, I think you can do it from anywhere, but I did pick up and moved to Los Angeles back in 2010. After practicing for about four years, I made a decision to pursue media as a career. North Carolina didn't feel
like a large enough landscape to me. I worked for Butch Williams for two years when I was in Durham, NC. He really taught me about community, legal practice, and being more than just a lawyer to people, but really being an advocate. One of the things Butch taught me when I first came to work for him was what he called ‘six words to being a millionaire or being successful’— "Find a need and sell it."
Sabrina: What was your big break and how did you handle it?
Whether you're trying to be on TV, write a book, work at non-profit, etc., you're best served by finding a niche, looking at the landscape, seeing where there are existing gaps, and filling them.
They wanted me to discuss the verdict from the George Zimmerman murder trial since it was the day the verdict had been released, but I’d never watched the show so I knew that first, I needed to study. I knew who Bill O'Reilly was— that he was the number one reader at the time in ratings for cable news, so I'm recognizing it was a huge opportunity that I could not pass up.
Honestly, I get inundated with emails, tweets, and DMs every single day by young people, mostly young women stating, "I want to do what you do, how do I do it?" I think the problem is that they're duplicative. If all you're offering is another version of what's already available, you're going to struggle, right? You must find your unique selling point. How are you different? Whether that's because of who you are or because of the space you're trying to occupy, you must be different. Before you can be successful in any industry, you have to become the best student in the industry first. Back in 2012, I studied the industry. I watched TV anytime I wasn't at work. I was in LA doing contract legal work, but it was very boring. Every hour that I wasn't doing that crap, I was watching all the cable news shows. I was watching any news or political program I could, to see who was on television. At the time, it was: Faith Jenkins, Bernie Hoffman, Melissa Harris-Perry, Rachel Maddow, and Megan Kelly. As I looked at them, I looked at: where they were occupying space, what they were talking about on air, who's in radio, who's on television, who's in digital, and who's talking about part of the politics? I also looked at: who's talking about the laws, social justice— how do I enter this conversation and groom something different? The hard truth is, a lot of people cannot answer that question because they don't have the content truly necessary to offer anything different, new, and fresh. Cultivate original content because nobody is that interested in you parodying what else is already out in the landscape. I made a very conscious decision to pursue an on-air career at Fox News Channel because, at that time, you did not see many other black women on Fox News Channel talking about law and politics. They had a need to have a voice and a perspective represented on the number one cable news network in the country that wasn't already occupied. That's when I saw the opening, and then I cultivated a craft to fit into a needed opening.
Eboni: My big break was an appearance on The O'Reilly Factor in July 2013. O'Reilly producers heard my radio show, liked my content, thought it was a different fresh voice, and I was in!
My first cable news appearance happened to be prime time, the number one cable news show in the country. I was not foolish enough to pass that up because I "didn't feel ready". That's one of those you need to get ready moments. The second thing I did right was I stayed ready. I was already intimately involved in the details of the case, of the verdict, and of the political backlash. Then, I didn't get overwhelmed by the opportunity. At that point, I knew that I was entering a different playing field, but I didn't get nervous about it. I didn't let that overwhelm me, I didn't let that undermine my ability to go on there, do what I do and then continue to build my portfolio. I think that's a testament to my preparation. I didn't have any new leverage yet. Here's the thing, every opportunity is not going to be liked by everyone. To this day, I still get a lot of criticism around being on Fox News in general. My truth is, it's not about what I'm doing for Fox News, it's about what Fox News is doing for me. Really, we're not even intended to be there in any particularly comfortable fashion, but creating that comfort from the ground up is important. Even if you google my most recent Fox & Friends hosting where I had Sheriff Clarke on and he was talking crazily about John Lewis, you see something new. A free minded, independently thinking, and politically leaning black woman occupying space on a network that was custom-built for white comfort, making white people very uncomfortable, is new. Nobody has ever done that in a hosting capacity before on
Fox News, period. Least of all, a black woman. That wasn't easy to do. I take it upon myself all the time to earn the ability to customize my presence on the network in the way that I want. For me, that's the impact that I've worked really, really hard to be able to have in a space, that you better believe, had no intention of ever permitting such a thing. Sabrina: What inspired you to write your book and entitle it Pretty Powerful? Eboni: The title was controversial, even during the publishing process, so the publisher really didn’t want to go with it. I think she felt that it would undermine my credibility and people were going to assume that I was just some other lightweight pretty face. I told her, "That’s exactly why I insisted upon the title." Even in this “Me Too Movement” kind of moment we're having, I think it’s important to be more honest and direct about the true ways of feminine power. There is no one way to be feminine, there's, certainly, no one way to be pretty. A lot of the book is about exploring all the different ways that women can embody what pretty is for them. That said, I'm not going to be shamed, and I don't want other women to be shamed around embracing our "what I call pretty power." I was inspired to write the book because that has been the narrative sold to women. That "If you want to be taking seriously, as a professional woman, if you want to be seen as credible, if you want to be seen as important, then you have to be "pretty" and look the part." You need to pick a side, either pageants and theater where looks are really highlighted and emphasized or be studious and academic. I didn't really want to feel like I had to choose, so as I grew up and went through law school, and went through practicing, and went through all these other experiences I've been blessed to have, I started meeting other women that felt very similarly. I interviewed a lot of them in the book. I think my most fascinating interview was Desirée Rogers who was Obama's social secretary his first term, and then she went on to be CEO of fashion there. She's ivy-league educated, a complete boss, and the first black woman to lead up a billion dollar budget in Chicago. She's just phenomenal on every level and makes no apologies about the fact that she looks amazing.That's just a part of her power source. When she walks in a room, her presence is known before she utters a word. The truth is, when you go in to interview for any role, the interview starts before you open your mouth. Specifically for women. The interview starts when you step into the room because based just on what you look like, how you present yourself, what you're wearing, your hair being kept or unkempt, etc. is being evaluated from the second you walk in the room.I wrote this book to bring awareness, to bring ownership, and to de
stigmatize the reality that until this is no longer the way it is, we do ourselves a disservice when we don't pay full attention to the way we present ourselves aesthetically. Particularly in a professional space. Sabrina: How would you define The Prevailing Woman? Eboni: I first was aware of the brand and the movement in the magazine on social media. My original thought was, "How wonderful that here we have a column dedicated specifically to the celebration of women who are movers and shakers, who are doing something significant in their chosen industry." One of the things I also really like was I immediately saw that it wasn't just one industry. I think right now there's a lot of things that are geared towards the entertainment and media industry specifically. If I'm being very candid, sometimes I think it sends the wrong message to young people.Sometimes I think it sends a message to young people that the only way to be special, important, or valuable in our society is to make it in the entertainment and media space. Every day there are women: teachers, registered nurses, librarians, etc. that do wonderful things and should be highlighted. What I liked about The Prevailing Woman was a diversity of fields is emphasized and it’s really important right now. Young people, especially young girls, need to get that memo. There can only be so many Cardi B's, Robin Roberts or Tamara Howells. At some point, we have to let women— particularly women of color— diversify the faces occupied in leadership.
AUTHORS WHO INSPIRE...
that time, God planted the seeds in my mind for a book, but I passed it by. I relied on looking at my WHEN, the circumstances that seemed like they needed to be better before I could proceed. In 2015, God came through again and a conversation about Give Me The Fairytale happened. I was in the midst of a really great career as a consultant to large law firms. I was helping them do what’s really needed to improve the performance, capacity, and maturity of various departments in the firms. Taking the business of work behind the scenes of practicing law and helping the law firm to be better. I was loving it! I was super busy. I was on the road talking to CIOs every week, really educating them to understand things about technology, and new laws that would affect their operations. In the midst of all of this greatness, God says, "I need you to write this book. It is time now. “I’m like, “No, no, it’s not!” I understand the nature of timing, it’s where the impact is. God said “No, this is necessary and it's a ‘for such a time as this’ word." Thus, the birth of Give Me The Fairytale. Interviewer: What are some things you do to relax, stay focused, and help you find inspiration? Kim: I like to find a spot either in my house or a beautiful place in my city, and write. I love going to five-star hotels and sitting in the lobby with my computer. It is a beautiful environment- an oasis away from the world where I can look around, think, and be inspired. I'm big on your environment being supportive of your goals. Kim Whitehead, author of the 5-star rated book, Give Me The Fairytale: Reawaken Your Dreams For An Extraordinary Life and the sequel, The Arrival: Redefine the WHEN Of Your Destiny, is an international information privacy expert, lawyer, speaker and entrepreneur. She is the founder of the Demand The Dream movement, and CEO of Lux Dream Group, a change management consulting form providing workshops, individual and corporate consulting, and publications designed to help men and women manifest the full potential of their talents. She is a graduate of The University of Pennsylvania where she received a Biomedical Engineering degree and obtained her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University. Kim is an experienced 15-year patent and trademark attorney holding licensure in the District of Columbia Bar and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Kim’s current book, The Arrival, is the second book in THE KINGDOM series and is about helping people get to their next level in life and business by transforming passive and limiting ways of relying on conditional WHEN’s into powerful, transition-based thinking that propels them toward their desired destinies. Interviewer: Tell me what inspired you to, become an author? Kim: I think, first and foremost, every author should be a book lover. I am an absolute book lover. Any given day I’m flipping back and forth on my Kindle between three or four books dealing with different areas of life, personal growth, business strategies and processes, motivational guides, or the occasional romance novel. My journey of becoming an author actually started in 2009. When I think about what it means to prevail, that year was epically transformational. I went through a divorce, left my job at one of the biggest law firms in the world, and dealt with family estrangement. There was a huge shift in many different areas of my life. Everything that I thought was stable, didn’t seem to be. Though these things were hard to go through, they ultimately released me from toxicity to the next level of life. At
If you're trying to write a book on peace, love, forgiveness— or whatever the topic is, at your kitchen table with 10 kids, school projects, and everything else under the sun — it's likely not really going to happen. The other things that I am really passionate about are personal growth, change, and making sure that I am moving to the next level. I think if you're going to be an author, it automatically places you in a position of leadership. Some of us have been leaders in many different areas of our lives. If you've never been a leader, being an author is going to make you one. You now have a voice that people are listening to. There is a responsibility to really make sure that what you're saying is accurate, so one must research. I will also go back to my psychology notes from undegrad. I constantly read about the topic that I’m exploring. When you're researching about those things, it's naturally going to bring your vision to the forefront. Interviewer: What’s next for Kim Whitehead? Kim: We're going on tour this year, a 10-city tour. We'll be heading to Atlanta, New York, Houston Boston, Chicago, DC, LA, and Charlotte— just to name a few. We want to make sure that people come out! @thearrivalbook To purchase the book and to purchase your tour ticket, at www.thearrivalbook.com
Stylist: Bernard G. Jacobs, Hair stylist: Kenneth Richardson, Make Up Artist: Janice Greene, Photographer: Kristen Ashley, Studio: FD Studios, Dress: Alice and Olivia, Shoes: Gucci, Earrings, Ring, and Diamond Bracelet: Neil Lane
How this savvy JUDGE is bringing FAITH into the courtroom Judge Faith Jenkins is a highly successful,pleasantly fun and extremely detailed-oriented court television show judge. If you watch her show, I am sure you will see her poise, beauty and “no nonsense in my courtroom� mentality. Well, it was no different spending the day with her in sunny Los Angeles, California. I am usually not nervous to meet any of our cover girls, but this time I felt the need to look my best and talk my best. That is the kind of influence Judge Faith has on everyone who comes in contact with her. She attended Louisiana Tech University and won the title of Miss Louisiana Tech. Shortly after, she was crowned Miss Louisiana and placed 1st runner up in the Miss America pageant. She then returned to Law School at Southern University and graduated ranked first in her class. Her professional career began as a litigator for Sidley Austin, one of the most prestigious law firms in the country. Then she became a Manhattan criminal prosecutor,followed by MSNBC Legal Analyst and now, nationally syndicated court show Judge. On this cool Los Angeles evening, we ate dinner with her publicist, Kita Williams, hair stylist, Ken Richardson
and wardrobe stylist Bernard G. Jacobs. We are dining at a casual dining restaurant in L.A. just a few blocks from her skyline condominium. What inspired you to go into the legal, media and entertainment industry? I was interested in advocacy at a young age. I was inspired to help people and for some reason I was attracted to law. I did not have any attorneys in my family. I did not know any, but I watched Perry Mason reruns. When I got a little bit older, I watched the Cosby Show. The character, Clair Huxtable I think inspired me even moreso. There was no one like me growing up in the television judge genre. I always felt I wanted to fight for the poor and marginalized. My first job out of law school, I worked at a large law firm in New York. It was all about money. We are talking about $300 million cases and those were the smaller ones. I didn't really get that personal career satisfaction until I went to the District Attorney’s Office while working as a prosecutor. Prosecutors have a lot of power. More than defense attorneys. Often times more than judges. We recommend sentences or we decide whether or not to prosecute a case. When you're hired, they look for people with good judgment, because as an individual, we make a lot of decisions about someone's life. A lot of times what happens with a person's case depends on who gets their case. At first I thought, “I don't want to be a prosecutor,” because I don’t want to send people to jail. Then you realize, the government desperately needs people with different backgrounds and perspectives in that role to exercise their judgment and discretion. I had a case with a 17-year-old girl. She was caught with a loaded gun in her backpack. She was foolishly carrying it for her boyfriend. New York is very strict about their gun laws. Remember NY Giants player Plaxico Burress? I was in the office and my colleague had his case. He shot himself (and no one else) and got two years for illegally having the gun. That’s the normal range that we were operating with in New York. When I got the case with the 17-year-old, she came down to my office with her attorney and a child advocate. They pleaded for me to give her another chance. She had so much potential and I thought it was
Stylist: Bernard G. Jacobs, Hair stylist: Kenneth Richardson, Make Up Artist: Janice Greene, Photographer: Kristen Ashley, Studio: FD Studios, Top and Pants: La Perla, Shoes: jimmy Choo, Earrings, Ring, and Diamond Bracelet: Neil Lane
important that she not even have a felony on her record at such young age, so we worked out a deal where she wouldn’t. Other people, with that same case, might not have cared. That's why I wanted to go into the job. We were taught to do justice in every case. That meant something different to a lot of people. In that case I felt I did justice. How have your educational and professional experiences led you to have the success you have today? I think that for whatever reason, something inside of me pushed me to always live on the edge of my capabilities. I got as far outside of my comfort zone as I could at a very early age. Just started pursuing things that most people would probably think were unattainable. When you accomplish something early on in your career, in your life, when all the odds are against you, it's a turning point for you early on, because it's like, "Okay, I can do this." The first time that happened for me was when I was in college. I was competing for my university’s pageant. There never has been a black Miss Louisiana Tech. One of the young ladies in the pageant was a fourth runner up to Miss Louisiana the year before. She was also a former Miss Teen Louisiana. Basically a pro. I'd never won a pageant in my life. She's in the competition and so am I. Who would think that I had a chance? That's when I decided, at that point I was 20-years-old, I said, "First of all, in order to do this, you really have to believe you could do this." You may as well not even enter the competition if you don’t believe you could win.” Then I worked really hard. I said, “You know what? I’ll work harder than anyone else. I'm not going to get on stage and embarrass myself -- that’s what I'm not going to do!” At the end of the night, the last two on stage were the pro and myself – waiting for the announcement. Everyone had told me I wasn’t going to win and should be happy with the second place. I wouldn’t argue with anyone. I would smile and say to myself, “Second isn’t good enough for me.” When they announced the winner that night, they called my name. I had become the first African-American woman to win the title of Miss Louisiana Tech University. At 20-years-old to accomplish something like that against those odds I realized, "There's a formula to this." The formula I followed for me was to first believe. Next, take a huge risk by living at the edge of your comfort zone. Risk losing, even in front of a lot of people, because to lose is not really a lost, but an opportunity to grow. Lastly, work hard!
THE PREVAILING WOMAN 40
Stylist: Bernard G. Jacobs, Hair stylist: Kenneth Richardson, Make Up Artist: Janice Greene, Photographer: Kristen Ashley, Studio: FD Studios, Shoes: Gucci Dress: House of CB/ Style PR Earrings, Ring, and Diamond Bracelet: Neil Lane
You seem to have transitioned gracefully from Miss Louisiana, First Runner up in the Miss America Pageant, top of your class law student graduate, New York Prosecutor, MSNBC Legal Analyst and now, nationally syndicated court TV show Judge. How did you handle the changes in your career and what influenced these power moves? I never allowed anyone to put me in a box. Just because you were Miss Louisiana or you were first runner-up to Miss America, doesn’t mean you can't work on Wall Street. You can be pretty and smart, love to read the Wall Street Journal and fashion magazines too. Who said “pageant girls” don’t belong in the litigation world in Corporate America. I just decided to never let someone define me; especially if they did not create me. The one who created me has already determined who I am to be. After I won Miss Louisiana, people stated, “You’re really going to go back to law school? You should go
to Hollywood, try to be in media, or try to be in entertainment." As soon as I took a year off to be Miss Louisiana, as soon as I finished my duties competing in Miss America, my reign as Miss Louisiana was very busy. It was a year of a lot of appearances in hundreds of schools and events. After I decided to put the pageantry down, I went right back to law school. Didn't take any more time off, because that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a lawyer. Now, it’s amazing how life happens, because I ended up on television. However, I wouldn't be where I am today if I had not finished law school, worked in corporate America, worked at one of the largest law firms in the country and worked at the prosecutor's office. I was grinding away behind a computer or on trial. I was sleeping in my office at night during big cases. I wasn't in the headlines or the limelight. I wasn't on the cover of magazines. I was working! Tell us about a time you experienced a controversial case, whether as a New York prosecutor or in your courtroom, as a Judge. Well, I told you about the 17-year-old in the prosecutor's office. The cases in my current courtroom are cases that are not as serious. What's so interesting is, we get lawsuits where people sue over criminal behavior. It always surprises me. I have these guys who'll come in and they'll sue for $2,000, because they didn't get the iPhones they bought. They were 400 iPhones. I would ask, “Where are the 400 iPhones coming from?” One of the guys would reply, "I have a boy who knows somebody." “What do you mean? You’re suing over this?” are the questions I would ask them. They didn’t buy it from Apple. I turned to another person, “Where did you get the phones from?” He would say, "Well, I’m not going to lie to you Judge. They were hot-ish." That’s what he told me. I said, "You’re in court suing over someone not giving you stolen iPhones? You’re really here in front of a judge telling me that?" Those cases are always fascinating to me. I find them humorous at times. Speaking of controversy, there has been a lot of dialogue centered around women’s rights and politics. I would like to ask you a few questions, to gain your professional insight on these issues.
Stylist: Bernard G. Jacobs, Hair stylist: Kenneth Richardson, Make Up Artist: Janice Greene, Photographer: Kristen Ashley, Studio: FD Studios, Shoes: Gucci Dress: House of CB/ Style PR Earrings, Ring, and Diamond Bracelet: Neil Lane
We are now seeing a shift in our culture. In light of all of the celebrities who came out recently to talk about their experiences with sexual harassment THE PREVAILING WOMAN 42
and sexual assault; we are seeing now a willingness to hold even the most powerful men accountable for their actions. We didn’t see that in the past. The difference now is women are being believed. There is this false narrative that women like to cry rape. When you look at the stats in terms of people who falsely report crime, first of all, when it comes to rape it's extremely low. In fact, rape is probably the most underreported crime there is. A lot of women are concerned that their complaint about sexual harassment or their complaint about rape won’t be believed or that it will define who they are for the rest of their lives. When celebrities come out, when movie stars come out, and they say, “Me too,” it becomes easier to believe the cook that works in the restaurant, the housekeeper that works in the hotel, the administrative assistant who works in the office. It's bringing more awareness that this is real and this is actually happening. Statistics reveal that one and in three women will experience rape in the United States, under the age of 18. How do we address the current high rates of sexual violence towards women and how do you believe they should be prosecuted? As a prosecutor I can tell you one of the most difficult types of cases we have are rape cases; especially when it came to women who had been drinking. Almost impossible to go to trial and get a conviction involving a rape case with a woman who was intoxicated. Unless you had some type of DNA evidence. Now that women are being believed, I think that's going to trickle down to our criminal justice system and how these cases are being viewed. People are going to look at them in a different way. That’s important! Statistics also reveal that African American women and Latinas earn 64 and 56 cents for every dollar earned by a white male. How do we address the wage gap for female minorities and mothers? For me, when I started my job in corporate America, they made our salaries known to everyone. Our starting salary was the same. There was pay transparency. They told everyone what our salaries were and each year we got the same increase in our salaries. The only difference were
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the bonuses, but that was based on your individual success. I think there is a gender gap and not just among women of color. I recently heard about Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Williams pay gap controversy. The production company did a re-shoot, because they decided to take Kevin Spacey's scenes out of the movie. Mark Wahlberg received a $4.5 million for the re-shoot and Michelle Williams received a few thousand dollars. Both of those actors were represented by the same agency, but there was no pay transparency. She had no idea that Mark Wahlberg's agent had gone ahead and negotiated millions for the re-shoot. Pay transparency is a big part of this issue. Overall, women of color have to recognize that there is a problem. Know your worth and do your research to find out what your white male counterparts are making in similar positions in your particular industry. Then, ask them for the pay amount your counterparts are receiving and negotiate for it. Many look up to you as a mogul in the beauty, law, and media industry. What’s your advice for women who are trying to enter the space or make their brand bigger? Also, can you tell me how you were able to navigate your way into that arena and to get big brands to notice you? I get a lot of young women writing to me asking me for advice. A lot of times they are either in law school or thinking about going to law school. They just graduated and ask, “What advice do you have for me?” I tell them wherever you are in this particular part of your journey be great at it. Excel at it. Learn all you can. Be a sponge and soak it up, so you can be prepared to move forward, to go to the next level. What I see often times is that people will kind of coast when they're at a job they’re unhappy in, because their goal is to really do something else. When I was at the law firm, I knew that wasn't my dream position. It wasn't what I wanted to do with my career, but I knew that I had to have that season of growth and learning as a part of my process. I could not do what I'm doing today if did not gain experiences from my law firm or being at the prosecutor's office. All of those years were years for growth for me, years of development for me. It took many years for me to get the experience I needed to do what I do today-- which is my dream job, so appreciate every season you are in and excel no matter where you are.
What was your process as it relates to getting into the media entertainment industry? Were you found or did you submit videos to news channels? This is what I'm talking about when I say whatever you're doing and wherever you're doing it-be great at it, because people will recognize that work ethic. When I started out doing television, I was not paid at all. I covered the George Zimmerman trial (he was acquitted of manslaughter for shooting and killing Trayvon Martin) for all of the three major networks: Fox News, CNN, MSNBC. I was on all three networks in the same day many days and I was not getting paid for that. I'd taken a short leave of absence from work, so I could cover the trial and watch the trial all day to be able to comment on it. Hank Cohen, who's the CEO of Trifecta Entertainment, and former head of MGM Television was watching television when he saw me on Bill O'Reilly, on Fox News one night. The next night he saw me on with Al Sharpton on MSNBC. He said, "If she can handle those two audiences and be great with those vastly different viewers, she could appeal to a lot of people in daytime TV." He called me. They did all their research on me. I had no idea they were looking at me on TV every day. They would look at some clips of me online, read about me on the little website that I created and called me once the trial was over. They wanted to do a court show with me. That's why I say, “You never know who's watching you.” That's how it started. I’d never thought about doing court television. I watched it, I loved it and thought it was great. Sometimes, I believe as a person who believes in God, God's plan for you can be even bigger than your own. You have this plan, "This is what I'm going to do. I want to be a Legal Analyst. I'm happy doing this,” but God had a different plan for my life. I came out to LA, started taping the show and the rest is history. Shows have been airing now close to four years. I didn't have all the answers when I started my first job in New York. I didn't have this big five to 10-year plan. In order for a lot of people to step out of their comfort zone, they need to see who's going to be there at the end. Who's going to help take care of me if this doesn’t work? How's this going to happen? You have to trust in your journey that you are going to get to your destination. When you drive a car and your destination is 60 miles away you can’t see where you’re going when you first leave. You see 10 feet ahead of you at a time and you just keep going. Eventually you get to where you need to be.
I’m sure that a lot of your success has been the result of hard work and just refining your skillset. But as far as how you’re able to progress in your career, it seems that the relationships you’re building with people and brands play a big part in that as well. Can you talk about the importance of relationship building within a career and give a few tips on how to build professional, organic relationships that last? Treat people right. No matter who they are. No matter where you are at any particular level in your career. Be good to people, be nice to people, work well with others. My colleagues, we started as first year lawyers right out of law school in a huge corporate firm. I got to be friends with those first year attorneys. Two of my closest friends I started at my firm have the most amazing jobs now and we laugh about it when we get together sometimes – like who knew? One is a senior vice-president at a major network and the other is senior general counsel at Apple. When you start, no matter where you are in your career make these connections. You always want people to look back and say, "I remember her. She was a good person. She went out of her way to be nice to me." When I decided I wanted to do television, I reached out to Gretchen Carlson, who was the host of Fox and Friends at the time for Fox News. Gretchen did not know me. I had never met her, but I had been in the Miss America Pageant many years after Gretchen. She was a former Miss America. I had a friend that connected us and Gretchen said, "Sure, I'll take a look at her resume." Gretchen invited me into Fox News. I watched the last hour of Fox and Friends (as interesting as that was, but I watched ha!). Then she introduced me to producers at Fox News. I did not want to do politics at all. All I wanted to do was legal commentary. To me, the law was the law no matter what network you’re on. She took an hour out of her morning to talk to me, introduce me to producers, showed me the newsroom and how things worked when commentators appeared on air and then walked me downstairs to the lobby. I never forgot her for that. I had absolutely no television experience at the time. When you do something for someone and you know they can't do anything for you in return, that's when you really want to help somebody. Even when I was pressured to talk politics at Fox I went back to Gretchen for advice and she told me, “Stick to what you really
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Understand you will face difficulties, but know you will get through them. That's what life is about...
want to do.” I turned down the opportunity to do more television and stuck to discussing legal cases. It was the best advice she could have given me. A few years later, when I heard that she had a lawsuit against Fox and Roger Ailes, I believed her. I just knew that the person I had spent that time with wasn’t lying. When you talk about building relationships, those things matter. Gretchen had no idea I would go on to have the career that I've had. She was just doing something nice for someone that she thought had potential. That's what building relationships is about. Many women are struggling to find their purpose in life. Other women who I’ve spoken to who feels like they are walking in their purpose say that they found their purpose in serving others. What do you believe your purpose is and how did you get clarity in identifying it? I think we all have the same purpose in some respects. We’re all meant to live our best lives while making a difference in the lives ofothers. How do you live your best life? Start fresh every day. In the mornings when you wake up, you don't wait to see how your day is going to go. You decide what kind of day you're going to have. If you live your life based on your feelings or based on the circumstances, you'll be all over the place all the time. It's about making a decision. Sometimes, you feel like it might just be you and God alone in those four walls around you as you go through a difficult time. As long as you know you can and WILL get through it, you will be okay. God never said that the weapons against you wouldn’t form, he said, “They wouldn’t prosper.” When you go through things and you come out on top, you are an inspiration for others. I often speak to college students about this. Last month I delivered a commencement speech. I shared with them my journey, the struggles I faced and the issues I had in the real world. I told them, “Understand you will face difficulties, but know you will get through them. That's what life is about. Transforming your struggles and knowing that you can get through anything. This too shall pass and in the midst of it all, when you take your eyes off of you and focus on helping others, you realize your problems aren’t all that insurmountable.” What would you say is your proudest moment- whether career, business, or personal? Feel free to name one moment per category. When I was in college, I was a Senior Resident Assistant (SRA) in the dorm and applied to be a Hall Director. A Resident Assistant (RA) just ran the floor of the dorm. The Hall Director would run the entire dorm. I needed that job. I wouldn't have to pay any room and board. It was a nice salary and I would have a full apartment. I was the next person up for that position. I actively planned the following year out, because I knew I was going to get the job. My life would be better. For some reason, I didn't get the job. They hired a junior over me and being a minority at the school, I did not feel well about it.
I decided I didn't want to work for housing anymore, so I quit. Now, I'm telling this story now calmly, but at the time I was really hurt and I remember calling my dad crying, "I didn't get this job. What I'm I going to do now about next year? I was counting on having this job. It was going to make things so much easier for me. My life was going to be just so great."
That's hard, because there are so many great women doing gr eat things right now. If I had to choose one, I would choose Michelle Obama. I was thinking Oprah Winfrey and Shonda Rhymes, who are both trail blazers, but Michelle Obama for obvious reasons.
I remember just being so discouraged. Then, I walked in the Student Union one day and I saw the ad about the Miss Tech Pageant. The pageant was coming up and the winner would receive a free full year. Not only room and board, but tuition, books, everything. That's when I decided, well, I might as well do this. I don't have anything else to do. That night, when I won, it was one of my proudest moments. When I was won Miss Tech, I went on to win Miss Louisiana two years later and became first runner-up to Miss America. In the course of those three pageants, I received close to $100,000 in scholarships. If I actually had been promoted to Hall Director, I would have never competed for the pageant. It was the job that I didn’t get that changed the course of my entire life. That closed door changed the trajectory of my entire career. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. There I was crying about it, upset, because I didn't get the job. Had I known what God had planned for my life, I should have been jumping up and down with joy.
She is smart. She is dynamic. I have met her a couple of times. She's been through the fire and come out on the other side. My mom also played a major role in my success. My Mom, when I started competing in pageants would say, “I think you can do whatever you want to do.” My Dad said things were political. He would say, “Well, good luck.” My Mom was that one person. Sometimes we just need that one person; that one person in your corner. That one person throughout my life, has been my Mom.
How do you incorporate self-care among all of your responsibilities? When I'm not working, in meetings, andattending social events- I'm home. I'm reading and I'm writing. I'm working out with my trainer. I don't put on a stitch of makeup, if I'm not going to any event. I just relax. I moved to New York when I was 24-years-old and had the time of my life in that city, in my twenties. Now, I’d rather sleep on Friday nights. I’m tired! I enjoy reading books that are about self-love,self-awareness and self-empowerment. How often do you work out? Five days a week. I work out with my trainer twice a week and I do cardio the other days. I like to eat. I’ve got to balance those two things out. Who are influential women that have played a major role in your success? Also, if you select one person to serve as your mentor, who would that be and why?
As for the law firm world, I was in a white male dominated workplace. There were a few women in my group. I was the only black attorney in my entire group. It was hard finding women of color role models in my industry. In addition, I saw that when some women would decide to have families they would leave the law firm, because our hours were just so difficult it was hard to balance the family and work life. I saw a post on twitter that you are working on a new book. Without spilling all of the details, what information can you share on your new book release? It’s my first book. I am really excited about it. People have been asking me for the last few years to write a book, because they watch the show. They hear the instructions I give to people. Sometimes it’s outside of the law. I have a lot of former couples come in, because social media has brought more conflict into dating these days. People don’t just call up their friend anymore and say, “This is what such and such did and I can’t believe this.” They post about it. How many of these public breakups do you hear about? “Oh my God! Did you see she removed all his photos?”“She scrapped you from her page.” They come into the courtroom with all these issues. My book is not only about navigating through life, but is also about navigating through love in a world where everything is so public now. My book is really about life lessons that I have learned not only in my life, but from the cases that I have had on my show. THE PREVAILING WOMAN 46
In order to build and put so much into a brand such as yours, you have to be passionate and really care about the next generation. 10 or 20 years from now, what would you ultimately want the next generation to look like and what advice would you give them on leaving a legacy for the next generation behind them? When I spoke to students recently at the graduation, I told them, “You are about to get your diploma. They are going to call your name. You are going to walk up to the stage, walk across the stage and then go back to your seat. Don’t let this be the last time they call your name for success, for achievement. When they talk about future doctors, lawyers, nurses and political offices -- I want to hear them call your name.” I would tell the next generation, “ That’s what I want to see. I want to see your name continue to be called for achieving excellence all the way up to the White House.” Where do you see Judge Faith Jenkins in the next 5-10 years? Judge Judy is really the standard when it comes to court TV. She is the number one show on daytime TV. In fact, her brand is so significant. The first day that my judge show aired, my Mom called to wish me well and good luck. She said, “I am just praying for you, for your success. Good luck with the first day of your Judge Judy show.” Not court show, but Judge Judy show. That is how amazing Judge Judy's brand is. When they think of court, they think of Judy. The best advice someone gave me when I started, "Don't try to be like anyone else. Be yourself.” From day one, that's what I did. I didn't try to be like Judy, I didn't try to be like Mathis. I love both of them, but I wanted to be myself. I 47 THE PREVAILING WOMAN
Stylist: Bernard G. Jacobs, Hair stylist: Kenneth Richardson, Make Up Artist: Janice Greene, Photographer: Kristen Ashley, Studio: FD Studios, Top and Pants: La Perla, Shoes: jimmy Choo, Earrings, Ring, and Diamond Bracelet: Neil Lane
want to continue to carve out my own journey, in the day-time TV world, so girls can look at me and say, "Because she is where she is, I know I can be there too". What is your definition of a Prevailing Woman?0 To prevail means to prove yourself to be more powerful than opposing forces. That's what a Prevailing Woman does. She faces opposition and doesn't quit. She falls, but she gets back up again. She fails, but she fails forward. How can we watch Judge Faith Jenkins on television and what are your social media handles? Judge Faith television show is syndicated, so check your local listings. @JudgeFaithJenkins @JudgeFaithTV Judge Faith Jenkins
Stylist: Bernard G. Jacobs, Hair stylist: Kenneth Richardson, Make Up Artist: Janice Greene, Photographer: Kristen Ashley, Studio: FD Studios, Dress: Alice and Olivia, Shoes: Gucci, Earrings, Ring, and Diamond Bracelet: Neil Lane
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A: Yes. When I started in my field, that was one of the things that I wanted to tap into more. In school, you learn all of these things about physical health and what influencers exist behind our behaviors that lead to illnesses. I do think that we sometimes downplay the spiritual aspects and the role those aspects play in our decisions, especially our sexual health decisions. We tend to tap into our spirituality when we are in dire need of something. Often, we pray after something happens instead of using it as a prevention method – I conflict with this as a Christian and researcher. How do we bring in spirituality and use it to our advantage in public health instead of using it in a negative light to diminish people? So often, people will put stigmas on others who have contracted an infectious disease and will use spirituality to point the finger at them. It’s been a challenge to try to create a shift of how we view spirituality so that it is used more positively in public health. I try to do this in my own business and create that shift. I believe it was meant to be this way, instead of making people think that they are reaping certain consequences because they didn’t follow a certain set of rules. Q: Tell us about your book “Entangled”, because I know that has a lot to do with assessing your internal and spiritual issues as well as the behaviors behind our relationship choices. A: Early in the book, I discuss my relationship with mother. I think we have to go back to how we grew up before we think about having any relationships with friends and partners. Once I realized that I had a mommy issue then I understood how I was building my relationships with others. In the book, I talk about whatever void you may have had from your childhood, you seek out in your relationships. So that means your circle of friends that you choose in elementary and even high school are based around trying to fill a void that you feel like you need in your life. Ultimately, you either surround yourself with people who build you up or with people who tear you down. Until you become whole on your own then you can’t know what another whole person looks like. If you’re not whole, you’re faulty and broken, trying to mend yourself. When you are not whole, you might be experiencing brokenness, that you are trying to mend on your own. You have to go to the One who created you in order to receive healing. Spend time with yourself before you bring yourself to another person who may not even know who they are. Take a step back to focus on you intentionally. Once you’ve dealt with your issues, then you can try to present yourself to someone else. I don’t think a lot of people do that because so many don’t know how to communicate pain and their emotions. So a lot of things go unsaid and are left unadressed. Q: You also talk about soul ties in your book. I think that a lot of women have soul ties and simply don’t know it. What would you say are some signs or symptoms that a woman can look for to determine if she has soul ties with someone, good or bad? A: We all have intuition. So we know when something is unhealthy for us. The problem is we ignore the signs. The same way that our body physiologically lets us know we’re sick with a fever or our lymph nodes being swollen, our intuition lets us know when something is not right. We ignore and cover the symptoms with “he’s nice” or something like that. We know it’s toxic or it’s not
beneficial. Listen to your gut when you know it’s not a good fit for you. I talk in my book about 2 types of soul ties... holy and unholy. I encourage people to seek out those good and holy soul ties that benefit you. Ask yourself is this relationship benefiting you in some way? Can they speak life into you and encourage you? Is this someone you can share your goals with and do they have goals themselves? Can you be accountable to one another? Will they tell you that you’re in the wrong but still speak to you in a way that you can receive it? Can they correct you in a loving way? Is this a person that will receive correction from you? If these things are not present then that person is not healthy for you. We were created to be together and be a family, but it’s not supposed to be dysfunctional. Our relationships are supposed to have fruits of the spirit. All of your relationships should be fruitful: romantic, friendships, etc. If it’s not fruitful then it’s not good for you. The relationship may be necessary because of proximity, but you don’t take them everywhere you go. Discernment is a gift. Learn how to discern better and walk away when needed. People are afraid to walk away from relationships that no longer serve them well and we have to do better with being bold about that. Q: You’re currently completing your PhD program. Tell us what you’re studying and how you plan to implement what you learn to impact the public health of society at large? A: I’m studying Health Behaviors and Epidemiology. I’m really trying to close the gap on different disparities that affect us and challenge the systems that society has placed on us as women, especially black women. I’m doing disease prevention and control now, but I want to eventually go into health policy and shift how funding is used and how we appropriate different services, because us women aren’t treated equally in that regard. If we start with the women first, who are normally the chief medical officers in the home, because they’re the ones buying the food, taking care of whoever is sick, and making those kinds of decisions... if we can get her healthy and making better decisions as well as provide her with the most access to resources, then it should trickle down to the rest of the family in the home. I want to get back to the idea of Big Momma, but giving her good information. She is still a very central part of the family, so it’s about equipping her with good resources: good food, good practices, good behaviors. She needs to know that she can have healthy conversations with her kids and this is how you do it. She can rally up the women in her community to make the changes they need to make, like the women did in Alabama when it was time to vote. It’s about educating her, showing her that this is how you do these things, and giving her the tools needed to do them. Ashley is a dynamic speaker who presents important topics to young women and teen girls on spiritual and sexual health, how to find their purpose, and fight peer pressure. Her unique research and studies are so timely here in this era where women are speaking up about their injustices, uniting and taking action against the inequalities that plague them, all while flourishing in their respective businesses and careers. It’s evident that we are living in a time where women as a collective are being called to higher endeavors. Therefore, our health is essential to continue the monumental works that is changing our world as we know it. What a time!
chief
Patrice Andrews Written by Sabrina Seymore Sabrina: Tell us where you're from, how you ended up in Morrisville, your family background and education background, as well. Patrice: Okay, I am originally from Chapel Hill. Right around the corner, I'v e always been in this area. My mother is from North Wilkesboro, that's near Boone, that's the Foot Hills, we call The God's Country, which is truly the country. My father is from Durham, “Hickstown” area. Growing up in Chapel Hill was a different experience. I went to private school until the seventh grade, but because my father felt like I needed a “whole experience”, I went to Chapel Hill Public schools. I graduated Chapel High School in '91. I wanted to be a marine biologist. I loved the ocean; I love the water. I decided to go away to Hampton University- it’s right on the water, and they have a Marine Biology program. I really enjoyed Hampton and loved it, but I was horribly homesick. I remember calling my parents saying, "Listen, I love it here. But I want to come home.” So, I transferred to North Carolina Central University. Sabrina: Yes, I went there, too! Patrice: Often when I talk about my journey, one of the things that I tell people, especially young women, is that you have to embrace your failures too. You have to embrace the really great stuff and then the stuff that you know you should not have done. Then own your truth and tell it. This is where I went off the rails in the past. I met my first husband and just fell in love, head over heels in love to the point where I stopped going to school. I just wanted to be there when he came back from class because he still went to school. I completely lost my focus. He’d ask, "Are you going to class today?" and I’d say "No, I'll be here when you get back." It was all me-in love. He’d go to class and I would stay. Eventually, NCCU made the decision for me. I came out of NCCU and my parents were not happy. I was always very independent and I wanted to have my own things, so I started to work jobs here and there. My boyfriend and I were still dating and as fate would have it, I got pregnant in '94. At that time, I'm thinking, "What am I going to do? Here I am, I'm pregnant." I was on government assistance, but I knew that I didn't want to continue with that. I had to figure out what I was going to do especially since Marine Biology was a distant memory at this point. I was working at a veterinary hospital in Durham and I was just a little bit down one day. I said, "I need to do something better." I opened up the paper and it was almost like the Lord put something there just for me— you know He already knows your path. It read "Durham Police Department Hiring." I thought, "Wow, this is great." I looked at it and said, "Oh, my goodness, $23,000 whoa." Then I looked down and it says, "Full benefits." That was it for me.
Pictured US Senator - FL Val Demings and P. Andrews.
Patrice: In 1997, I was accepted into the Durham Police Academy. It was exciting. There were different things I've never seen before and things I've never done before. I realized that I wanted to do something in this organization and that I didn’t want to just come in, and trace calls my entire career. I created goals for myself. I knew that in order for me to do more of the things that I wanted to do— be a supervisor, bring others along, and be a role model — I had to lay out some goals for myself. From that point forward I applied for promotions every single time they came up and wouldn’t you know it, I was getting promoted every two or three years. for me to do more of the things that I wanted to do— be a supervisor, bring others along, and be a role model — I had to lay out some goals for myself. From that point forward I applied for promotions every single time they came up and wouldn’t you know it, I was getting promoted every two or three years.
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Sabrina: Nice! Patrice: I went back to school and finished. I remember going back to NCCU and saying, "I really want to come back." The Registrar's office pulled my transcript from before and saw I just did not go to class. The first thing that they said was, "No." I said, "Listen, I am a different person. I have changed. I'm mature now. I'm focused. Please, please, please." I literally begged them to take me back. I was readmitted in 2007 and literally sat in class. I was in the freshman class and went all the way through! I was juggling work, school and the kids. I had my son in 2005. I graduated in 2012 with honors. I was beyond excited and continued on. I knew I wanted to be a Chief of Police. I thought, "How do I lead this organization?" I wanted to stay in Durham because of my true love for my home. Things changed for me as my children grew up. I went away to Quantico, VA to the FBI National Academy in January of 2016. While I was there, an opening for Police Chief in Morrisville came up. How ironic because I loved Morrisville and it wasn’t too far from my home. I knew that I was really ready for the next chapter in my career. When I left Durham, I was the captain in the Criminal Investigations Division. I had: homicide, fraud, special victims unit, and domestic violence unit. Homicide wore me down. I thought, "What is happening to humanity and what is happening to my brothers and sisters? What is going on?" I was ready to become refocused and Morrisville was the opportunity to do just that. After talking to my family and a lot of prayer, I accepted the position even though I was afraid. I was really afraid of leaving Durham— 20 years in an organization. It was bittersweet, but I have maintained my relationships there. With Chief Davis, Durham is in great hands. Sabrina: I never knew the qualifications in becoming a police officer, the things that are necessary to be in place. Has it changed since you joined? Do you have to have a certain degree? Patrice: No, you don't. You can come in with a high school diploma or GED. But really, to rise in the ranks in the organization, you need to have at least a four year degree. Sabrina: So very similar to the military. Patrice: Yes, very similar to the military. I think in order to be competitive and advance, you really have to have a focus. Sabrina: What are some things that you've done or programs that you’ve implemented in Morrisville that you feel has made a change? Patrice: Morrisville has very good internal and external relationships, but there were still some things that I felt we needed to work on as an organization. Few of my officers knew about Shiloh Community. Shiloh was the first community established for freed slaves. To me, that's an important part of history. It’s important for me as well as my officers to be genuinely engaged
Pictured L-R: Patrice Andrews, Chief Deck- Brown, Chief Days, Dr. Juanita Massanburg. in the community that we serve. Also, I want my officers to be comfortable around people that don't look like them. One of the first things we did was to have community discussions at the town hall. One of the things that I’ve learned from one of my good friends Tru Pettigrew is, “You need to go where they are. You can't expect people to always come to you." The biggest mistake that we make is saying, “Come here to our location and let's have a discussion”. When sometimes it should be, “Let me come to you and let’s sit down and talk”. The staff has gotten more comfortable with seeking out members of our community and engaging with them in a very non-law enforcement manner. We started, "Coffee with a cop here", and in essence it’s sitting down and having coffee coupled with a genuine conversation. We have stopped having it at the major chains and we started taking it into the neighborhoods including: Kids Creek and Shiloh. The older generation can tell you about civil rights and that struggle... the dogs, the horses, everything dealing with the historic context of policing. That’s still alive, they remember those things. It was important that we sit down and have that discussion. Morrisville is a very diverse community. This is what makes our town unique. I wanted to get to know the different cultures. In doing that, the officers have started to do that too. As far as formal programs we really try to engage on an informal basis because what we find is people may not come because of the negative connotation associated with police officers. I say, “If you want your kids to eat broccoli sometimes you just have to put the cheese on it and don’t call it broccoli. Say ‘You want some cheese?’ Even though it’s still broccoli, you’ve added something and made it more appealing to the masses. We’ve tried to do numerous things without the “attachment” of the police department. We’ve been involved in: Habitat Humanity, a back to school shopping event, in-store shopping with the kids of Boys and Girls Club of Wake County and it was great. We’ve changed the way we do diversity training too. It needs to be done differently. Tru Pettigrew has started diversity training where
the first half of the day was frank, open, and down-right raw discussions. The second half of the day was bringing in community members and allowing them to be open and honest no matter what it is. Staff received it well and I’m feeling the change. Sabrina: How long have you been there? Patrice: A little over a year. I had a pretty good foundation to work from because I've got great men and women on this department. I've got some that are from the old school, "This is how we used to police", that are now saying, "Yes, that's how we used to police, that is not okay now." They will openly say and own that.They have worked to change and it’s all a part of the process. Sabrina: What’s the ratio of women to men in your department right now? Patrice: I have 40 sworn officers and from this 40, nine are women. I really look to-because I know that, as a woman, we bring certain things to the table that men don't. I have nine female officers, four are supervisors, one Hispanic female, the other three are African-American women. We've got a good mix here. I am purposeful in seeking programs that will build them up and give them certain direction. I make them work because I don't want them to ever think that you're going to be given things. We all have to work hard, and it just makes it more worth it in the end, when we finally get that prize.
don't know if it was because of my gender or my skin color. To be honest with you, I never said anything because I was so afraid of what might happen if I even opened my mouth, so I fell in line. I always think back on that and think, "Wow, how could you be just such a coward?" I often beat myself up for that. I wonder how many times that supervisor had done the exact same thing to someone else after I came through and that was very hard for me. Sabrina: That particular situation? Patrice: It's interesting because with that situation I didn't say anything. I just fell in line, but it was never a problem for me to say or to step in when I felt someone was being heavy handed. I always wonder, "Why did you step in here and not there?" I don't know. Sometimes in either one of those situations, there's backlash fromthat within your ranks. Sabrina: We know how you have moved forward, and like many other women out there, just remained quiet. I was recently reading a post on Facebook from a girl that I know from college. She is the only African American that works for this large corporate institution. While she was on the phone, an executive asked her opinion on something. After she answered, his response was, "Well, that was useless."
to know your audience and you have to be very comfortable doing that. She could have said, "You asked me for my opinion, I gave it to you, if you disagreed with me you could have disagreed with me, but you could have spoken to me in a better way. I will not tolerate the disrespect." Hard, but necessary. I have had to have those side meetings, "I will not tolerate the disrespect." Most of the time it stops. First, they respect the fact that you didn't call them out right there in front of everybody. It really ends up making you look better. What I would say, “Hold your head up, breathe, and know your audience. Don't let it go; you need to have a separate meeting with that person. You can set boundaries in a professional manner. I don't necessarily think that correction should always happen in the public, certainly because you just don't know where that person was coming from or dealing with.
She was completely embarrassed and didn’t feel comfortable enough in the moment to say anything. Other colleagues— white men — said that they wished she would have said something and stood up for herself.
Sabrina: Have there been any times where you felt you've been discriminated against because you are a woman? How did you work through that?
She said that looking back on it, she wished that she could have handled it another way so that she can help someone after her. What would you tell someone in that situation?
Patrice: Yes! When I first got into law enforcement, it was almost like you had to prove that you were not a liability. They’d let you fall on your own for a little while backup stood there to watch. Eventually they’d say, "Okay-you're good." While working on the patrol squad, there were opportunities to lead different trainings however, I never got the opportunity. I
Patrice: Well, the way the media portrays black women, you're housewife or the angry black woman. So, I definitely understand the hesitancy to just say, "Wait a minute you asked me for my opinion." While the white male would be just voicing his opinion, she would have immediately been deemed disrespectful. I have found it’s often best to nip it in the bud and to speak out. You have THE PREVAILING WOMAN 65
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The Straw Through the Red Potatoe Written by Minister Tina M. France A few years ago, I had the pleasure of attending a women’s conference that focused on women coming together to worship, be empowered and enjoy genuine sisterhood. The praise and worship was awesome! The morning empowerment session was phenomenal! But then, it” happened! The afternoon empowerment session began. During focal point session was the process of purpose. As normal, everything was going really well until the speaker told us, “Look under your chair.” It was there we would find a zip lock bag. Inside the bag, there was a straw and a small red potato. Now my initial reaction was, “Aww, look! What a cute little potato! I wonder what fun thing we're going to do in this exercise." As the speaker gave instructions, my excitement and wonder turned to disbelief. Her instruction was to get the straw through the potato so that the straw is showing on two sides. My thoughts went from delight to confusion, “Wait! What???” What an incredible request! You could hear the mumbling in the room as people began to realize the difficulty of this assignment. So, we were off! All of us, trying to get that scrawny, flimsy straw through that thick, small, red potato! At this point, I am pushing and twisting, twisting and pushing. Throughout this entire time, she continued with her presentation and told us, “When we get your straw through...stand up.” Slowly, one by one, ladies began to scream, "I did it!” It was possible! After a while, I finally got mine through. It was small, but it was incredibly dense. It took me awhile, but Idid it. My fingers were cramping. I had potato juice on my pants. It wasn't pretty, but I did it! After it was over, I had to laugh. The experience reminded me of so many periods of my life where I was asked or forced to do something that I thought was impossible. When I was in the fourth grade, all my friends made straight A’s and I had B’s and C’s. I did not think I was capable of getting straight A's, but I did it the following year. After obtaining it, during my fifth grade year, I kept
doing it until I graduated from high school. When I was 12 years old, God spoke to me and other people in my life that I would one day minister the Gospel. I thought, "Who me? The girl who was so shy she'd barely speak to people let alone speak in front of a crowd? Impossible!" But I did that, too! I am a Minister of the Gospel! The point is, there were so many things in my life that I thought I could not do, but I did it. It was not always pretty. It did not always happen when it happened for others. But it did happen! When the task at hand seemeddaunting, I reminded myself that, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) Jesus said in John 16,"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” It would be great if we never had to experience difficulty. However, this is not always our reality. It is comforting to know that no matter what those difficulties are, getting through them is NOT IMPOSSIBLE- though it may be at first glance.What makes the impossible possible, is our assurance in the power and protection of a loving Christ! The next time you’re thinking I can’t graduate. I can't get the job. I can't have a fulfilling marriage. I don't know how to live my life for Christ- just remember, "You can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you!” Who knows, you may even be able to get a flimsy straw through a red potato! Prayer Focus: Heavenly Father, we thank you that even in life's difficulties, you give us the strength to do the impossible! Help us focus on you as our source and strength! In Jesus' Name. Amen From The Well Ministries is the Evangelistic Outreach Ministry of Minister Tina M. France. To connect with her, visit www.fromthewellministries.com or like her on Facebook: From The Well Ministries.
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